1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical noninvasive analyte detection systems, and more particularly to methods for correcting the output of such systems to remove contributions not from the sample under study.
2. Description of the Related Art
Millions of diabetics are forced to draw blood on a daily basis to determine their blood glucose levels. In addition, the detection of other blood constituents, such as the determination of the concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream, often requires blood withdrawal in order to perform a precise analysis thereof. A search for a noninvasive methodology to accurately determine blood constituent levels has been substantially expanded in order to alleviate the discomfort of these individuals. A significant advance in the state of the art of noninvasive blood constituent analysis has been realized by the development of spectrometers, including “thermal gradient” spectrometers, which analyze the absorbance of particular wavelengths of infrared (“IR”) energy passed through and/or emitted by a sample of tissue. These spectroscopic analytical devices typically employ a window or lens for admitting infrared energy into the device for analysis by infrared detectors.